Electric switch



Aug. 9, 1927.

H. E.l CAMPBELL ET AL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Aug; 3. 1925 TTORNEY.

Y' A JNVEAITORS;r

B/Y W lPatented Aug. 9, 19,27.

HARRY CAMPBELL ANDEARL'E. MEKELBURG, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,y ASSICNCRS To UNION ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CoRPoRATIoN or WISCONSIN. 'f

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

f y Application filedv August This inventionrelates to improvements in electric switches more particularly, although f not solely adaptedl for drum type switches. v It is one of the objects of the present rinvention to provide an electric switch whichvv is of very compact form to permit a number ofthe switches to be closely clamped to'-l gether by a novel form of clamping meansv on` supporting rods. vThe invention further contemplates the independent removalof said switches for repairs o r replacement without disturbing adjacent switches'- provide any improvedform Vof electric switch in which the parts thereof are constructed construction, -is strong and durable, andv whichV will secure av goodelectrical contact.

with its cooperativecontactrmembers. U i

1A further object ofthe invention is tov provide an electric switch having vmeansfor eliminating any lateral and endwise movements of the contact finger during ation ofthefdevice. f Y

lVith` the above main and other incidental `objects in view, the invention consists of the" improvedelectric switch and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, jand all equivalents thereof.

- In theaccompanying drawing'inwhich the same vreference characters indicate the sameparts in all of the views:

`Fig.1 is alsectio'nal view ofl my improved l i i ,if wardlymcurved' portions '23 and 2O and v'stopA portion 26. TheV portions .23 are 'bifur- 'i cated orfspace'd apartasshowii in Figi 3.

i of taken on line 2 4-2 of Fig. 1;".

Fig. 3 is a detailtop view-of some ofthe Y .tion withthe' clamping arm ltform fulcrum parts; and

Fig. t is a perspective view of the lever arm member.

.UAS the invention is particularly applicable todium controllers the electric switch is shown vas forming lpart 'thereofv but it is tobe understood that the switch may be yused for other types ofswitches". i

Referring to the drawing, they Vnumeral 5 indicates' a segmentalw contact mounted upon provided with aY plurality of segm'ental'icontacts vfor 'engagement with fixed contacts.

the opere f shaped endportion 21, for

3, '1925. serial No.Y inane.A

9 havet-he'contact lingers 6 mounted there on, said Contact fingers engagingvthe respec;

tive drum contacts.

one is shown with itsvcoacting segmentall contact.v

rIhe supporting rods Q are insuliatedib'y'"' As the contact iingersgarei'all alike only;

i To the i "supportingrods the switch' is secured -by a novel i clamping means l2 comprisingaclamping l65'. A further object of the invention is toV 1 arm lthaving aright Vangular extension 14"; l

forming vasupporting base plate'for the con,-

i tact mechanism, and a `cooperating clampingv arm 13 substantially stra'ig-htin,construction i and formed ofV any suitablenietal and firmly j held in clamping -engagement witlitliesup.I-V`

porting rods 9 vby means ofbolts `l'ffand nuts i 16,; and interposed between, the-nuts 16 and thev clamping'arm 14 Split locking washers `1'? are provided. Surrounding thelooltsrl` andjbetween 'thenuts 16 and- 17 onee'nd of a i l HeX-ible conductoi118` is positioned and com.- Y i prisesaa plurality of stripsof copper, th'ef` VotherV end` of said fivexibleconductor being l secured" tothe finger-6. `Acopper terminal portion -21 is' also"' positicfined` between, the

vsame nuts '16 and 19'and has a tubular V22 riveted thereto which is formed with up-1l i yTheV curved portions 23 and: 20`in connexeopenings or eyes and in the opening formed i by the part 2O,y a rectangularlink member i 25 pivotally extends and fal'everarm 2 4` eX- tending through the said link member-is i providedwith transversely yextending side clamping arm; The curv-ed portions 23v are spaced apart to'-l receive theslotted portions 'ico Y lofthe arm V 24"the'rebetween and to permitA vthecurved portions 23, to extendfoutwardly"-f through the side slots 24...1;A contact "finger lofi y 6 is vmounted on the' free end portion ofthe lever-arm 24 andis'connected thereto by.`

j es

f screws 33"an d 34 which also bind the outer and if itis desired tosmooth off the faceof the finger, fit is only necessary to` disengage end of the flexible conductor 18 between the vsaidleverarm and theV contactv finger 5. i

A Afurther novel feature of the invention will now be referred to. The outer end portion of the lever arm'24 has a pair of down. wardly extending guide lugswhich enter Vthe recesses Z 1 formed at each side of the Yendfof the clamping member 14 and recesses 31 correspondingly kformed in the fulcruni `V`strip 22, and an upwardly extendingllu'g positioned between thelugs 3 0 and entering thelopening 29 inthe Contactl finger 6. ln

' this novel feature ofthe invention, these lugs prevent Vflatertd and endwise movementor turning yof the contactlinger lduring 'operay tion'of the device.` J y Y i The outer end portion ofthe contact-finger Y Y 6 isv formed Vwith. theusual enlargement.8 i 2O i mation andxwhich Vvbears against the drum on its vinner sid'e 'wliich is of rounded foi'- segment 5 tofform van Velectrical Vconnection therebetween. A VVstop holtV 27 threaded through the contact finger 6v hears against thestop'portion`26 'of the fulc'rum strip 22 ftolimitthev inward movement .of said finger 6v whenV disengaged from the rotary Contact `5; 'A vyielding portion offa spring clip 32 @engages the squared head 27, ofthe stopVH ,screw holds said screwin adjusted position. v l' ,Y i j "loinaintain the contact linger 6 yieldingly in: position an improved l. l'-shapedf V readily detachable spring 3 5 with a hole 3 7 toffaccommod'ate the head vof the screw 34 is formed'with ahoolivlilie Vpart 36V to receive 'the' outer portion 'of the rectangular link v25. The-"tension'ofthespring holds the parts *Y the spring from'thelinlr and swing the link to the right and the lever armand-the"con-V tact viingermay be swung outwardly Vaway from tliefsegmcntal `Contact and expose the `working face ofthe finger for cleaning.

Y Furthermore if 'it'is Vdesired toreplace the j ingeritl is only necessary to remove the screws 83 and 34 and be easily made.

y lof the lingers Vextend approximately in straight lines, aplurality Y 1 be Jplaced in parallel lspaced relation quite closely together `an`dg`any ,one of thejngers the' replacement may 'It' is obvious thatasth-e side edge portions of .the fingers f may mayy ble-repaired or replaced without distnrb? ing 4lthe f others' i c From tiieifegeingdescription teinte f seen'that the electricl'switch( is' ofs i1nple`c`o'ii-V struction, isl strong and durable. and isv vwell; Vadar'ited forthepurpose described.

' arm," l and provided with tending minal member and l Itis also obvious that the different kparte ofthe device are so constructed that they can be readilyformed of vstainped'and commrcial metal. *Y

l/Vhat we claim as our invention is: 1. An electric switch comprising agsup` portingV ieans having ltwo contacting por tions, a single right angular"clampingy arm engaging vsaid two contacting'portions and having 'an outimrdlyv extending tongue at kone end thereof, said tongue having recesses yin 'the oppositeside edges thereof, a single cooperating clamping arm also engaging said vtwo contacting portions, ar fulcrum strip mounted on said right angular clamp ing arm and having al stopportionat the outer end, a linlr'ineniber'having one end portion pivotally carried between said fulcrum strip and the clamping arm'a lever arm also having one end portionv pivotallyk carriedV between vthe fulcrum strip and the clamping arm, and provided vwith downvwa-rdlyf extending guide lugs engaging said recesses 'of said outwardly extending tongue toy prevent lateral and endwise movement'oif the lever arm, ,yielding contact mechanism carried by vsaid leverarm, and va U-sliap'edV spring interposed between aportion of the link member'and thecontact mechanism for yieldingly holding the Contact mechanism in its innerposition.v l

2. An electric switch comprising 'a supi-. J

porting means having twocontactingfportions, a' single right angular clamping arm z:aging said' two contacting portions and having an outwardly extending tongue at oneend thereof, 'said tongue having recesses in the opposite side edges thereof, a'single cooperating clamping arm also kengaging said two contacting portions, a fulcruinstrip mounted onfsaid vright angular clamping arm and having a stop portioiratthe outer end, a link vmember having one. ,end portion pivotally vcarried between said Vfulcrum strip and Vthe clamping arm, a lever arm alsohavingV one end portion pivotally carried loetween vthe fulcruin stripand jthe'clamping downwardly exof ,said outwardly extending tongue to -pre'-l vent lateral and endwise movementA of the lever arm, yielding contact'mechanism ca.r' ried by said lever arm, interposed betweenv a portion of the link member and the Contact mechanism for yieldingly holding the -Contact mechanism in a U -shaped spring iiof guide,l lugs, engaging s aidreces'ses c its `inner position, a terminal member, conduct-ing mea-ns,ione end thereof being connected to said contact mechanism,and a" Vconinion means for'bringing the clamping ngagement Vwith the arms linto, vclamping]e supporting means,

ione

end ofV the conducting-,means together.

3.. A11 electric. `Switch, @Ompl'sins a sur# and` for securing the'ter I porting base plate having an outwardly eX- tending tongue at the end thereof, said tongue having recesses in the opposite sidey edges thereof, a lever arm pivotally mounted on the base plate and provided with downwardly extending guide lugs engaging said recesses in said tongue, and yielding Contacty mechanism carried by said lever arm, lateral and endwlse movement ot the Contact mecha- 1. nism being prevented by the engagement of porting vmeans having two contacting p0rtions, a' single rightyangular clamping arm engaging said two lcontacting vportions and having an outwardly extending tongue at one end thereor, said tongue being provided with recesses, a single cooperating clamping arm also engaging said 'two contacting portions, a fulorum member mounted on said right angular clamping arm, a llnkvmember having one end portion pivotally carried be-V f tween said. fulorum strip and the clampingA arm, a lever arm also having one end portion pivotally carried between the fulcrum strip and the clamping arm, and provided f with lug portions or'engagement with the recesses in said tongue to prevent lateral and endwise movement of the lever arm, yielding .t

contact mechanism carried by said lever arm, and a spring interposed between a portion of the link member andthe Contact mechanism for yieldingly holding the con tact mechanism in normal position.

tures; Y

v HARRY E. CAMPBELL.'

In testimony whereof, we affix our signa? EARL F. MEKELBURG,f` 

